Grimoire of the Ghost
by TheFinalFyler
Summary: Yuyuko Saigyouji, Princess of the Netherworld. Her mortal life though is mainly a mystery, even to her. Part two in the '...of the...' series or 'Past Life Tales'
1. Ghostly Beginnings

The Netherworld, realm of the fallen souls. The land has always been separated from the realm of the living through a simple border. But no one ever seemed to bother with the ghastly realm. It's land, ruled without a sole leader, changed one faithful day when the daughter of the Saigyouji family, Yuyuko, became the Princess of the Netherworld. Although not a true ruler, the souls have accepted her as their leader. But before her tale in the land of the dead, the story of her life.

The young girl, only in her early teenage years, walked through her family's garden. She loved flowers and plants of all kinds, mainly the cherry blossom trees. And there was always one she walked to at least once a day. This large tree was unlike the others. Instead of thin and covered in petals, it was thick like a normal tree and bare of all color except for it's bark. "Why are you like this? Why not bloom like the other trees? It is spring after all." The girl said, moving a bit of her brown hair behind her ear as the wind kicked up gently.

"Yuyuko? Where are you?" A voice from the distance said, light and happy.

Yuyuko turned around. "Hm? Who's looking for me?" She asked herself, hurrying over to the voice. "Who is it?"

She hurried along the path, slowing down as she met a few familiar faces. "Mother, did you call me?" She asked, smiling.

Yuyuko's mother nodded. "We have someone for you to meet." She said, extending her arm towards a middle-aged man. He had silver eyes, a short white beard and silver hair tied in thin ponytail that started at the base of his neck. His clothing was simple: white and green robes, small ghost like wisps decorated it. He carried two swords, a long sword in it's sheath hanging across his back, and a short sword across his waist. But the most interesting feature about him was the fact that a small, milky white ghost hovered around him in a circle, leaving a small trail behind it from a wispy tail. Yuyuko eyed the man, taken by the appearance and mainly the fact that she had never seen a ghost follow a person unless they would haunt them.

"Yuyuko, this is Youki Konpaku and he has agreed to be our gardener. He is also a very talented swordsman and if you would like, he would be more than glad to teach you." Yuyuko's mother,Hikari, explained.

Yuyuko blinked. "But...girls don't take swordsmanship lessons, Mother...do they?" She asked, tilting her hand in a slight confusion. She was raised to be a proper young woman and this went against what she was normally taught.

"Lady Saigyouji, may I tell something you your daughter?" Youki asked, his voice gruff, yet held a lighter side to it.

"Of course you may. Trying to get her to take the lessons?" Hikari asked, giggling lightly.

"I might be able to, but Miss Yuyuko seems very stern in not learning the ways of the sword. It is no insult to me, not everyone is called by the blade. I do know of one girl who took to the sword." He said to Yuyuko, who was still confused.

"You do? Who is she?"

"My granddaughter, Youmu. She's learning how to use the sword, although she is at a very young age."

Yuyuko nodded lightly. "She is? Is it because you're her grandfather?" She asked.

Youki chuckled lightly. "That could be a reason, but she would never come right out with it. She's a shy child."

"Oh...I see. Can I meet her one day?" Yuyuko asked.

Hikari giggled again. "In due time Yuyuko, in due time. But right now, let's get inside. We should leave Youki to get used to the fields and grounds."

Yuyuko hurried over and nodded. "Okay Mother." She said, smiling.


	2. Ghostly Futures

Yuyuko walked down the cobblestone path in her family garden, as usual during the day. She was looking for a new routine other than this, but she was happy with it. "Wonder what else I could do for the day..." She asked herself, her head down a bit.

"Maybe you would like to explain to me why this tree won't bloom, Miss Yuyuko?"

The girl lifted her head and turned to the side. "Oh, Youki, you scared me." She said, panting lightly in shock.

"I apologize Miss Yuyuko. But, I am rather intrigued by this tree." The swordsman said, looking up from a small patch of flowers at the withered tree.

"Oh? You mean this? It's a cherry blossom. It...just never blooms. I never seen it bloom once in my life." Yuyuko replied.

"Hm..is that so? Do you and your family have any idea why it won't bloom?" Youki asked, looking over to Yuyuko, who shook her head. "I see. If I might ask, what are you doing here?"

Yuyuko smiled lightly. "I always take walks in the garden. It's calming and peaceful." She said as Youki walked near.

"I must admit, it is. But don't you ever get bored with the same routine?"

"I do." Yuyuko sighed. "Are you still trying to push the sword skills on me?" She asked.

The half phantom chuckled. "No, no. I won't push you to do something you don't want to do. It would be good for you to know. It'll keep you occupied and who knows, it might come in handy one day."

Yuyuko nodded, her eyes following Youki's ghost though. "If..you don't mind me asking...how come you have a ghost following you?" She asked, seeing it make small circles around him.

"This? This is my ghost half." He said.

"Ghost half?" Yuyuko asked, confused. "You're part ghost?"

"I'm a human/phantom hybrid. The Konpaku family comes from a long line of half breeds." Youki explained as his ghost half slowly floated to Yuyuko and circled her.

"Um..what is it doing?" She asked, looking at it.

"He's just observing you is all. Our ghost halves have free will, but they cannot leave a certain distance of their body otherwise both the ghost and the human start to die. But Tera knows how far his range is."

The girl blinked. "Tera? You named it?"

Youki nodded. "Yes, I named him. It makes it easier to identify who I'm talking about, rather that saying 'ghost half' or something with the same meaning over and over." He called Tera over, the ghost quickly coming back and floating next to Youki's right shoulder, it's tail falling to the ground and coiling up like a snake.

"Does your granddaughter have one?" Yuyuko asked, sliding a fan out of her kimono sleeve and opening it, fanning herself off.

The swordsman smiled. "Why don't you see for yourself. Lady Hikari asked me to bring her today so you can meet her."

"She did? Well..alright then. Where is she?" Yuyuko asked.

"She's not too far. She wanted to go pick some flowers and I told her to meet me back here."

Yuyuko sat down under the slight shade of the withered tree, still fanning herself off. "How long do you think she'll be?"

The question answered itself with the rapid sound of light footsteps. "Grandpa Youki!" A light voice yelled, the footsteps getting louder.

Youki knelt down and chuckled lightly. "Don't run Youmu, you'll trip." He warned, still seeing the very young girl barrel towards him, arms filled with flowers. The black ribbon, off center on her head, bounced around, occasionally in front of her eyes. She wear similar clothing to Youki in color and style. She had a skirt that reached to her skins, a white button down blouse with a green vest over it. Small ghost wisps adorned the frills of her skirt and vest. "Grandpa Youki!" She called out again, smiling happily.

Yuyuko giggled, hiding it behind her fan. "Such a cute granddaughter Youki."

The swordsman smiled. "Thank you Miss Yuyuko."he said, picking up Youmu as she grew closer. "Youmu, this is Miss Yuyuko. She is Lady Hikari's daughter. Say hi." He said.

Youmu blushed lightly and covered her face with the flowers in shyness.

Yuyuko giggled again. "It's alright, I won't do anything bad. I'm Yuyuko. It's nice to meet you." She smiled, standing up.

Youmu slowly pulled her face out of the flowers, a small ghost poking out from behind her back. "H-hi...I'm Youmu Konpaku." Youmu said, shy still.

Yuyuko smiled. "Nice to meet you Youmu. How old are you?" she asked politely.

Youmu struggled to move her flowers into one arm. As soon as she did though, she raised her free arm and held her hand up, holding up her fingers. "This many!" She said proudly.

"Oh my, five!" Yuyuko giggled. "You're a big girl, you know that right?"

Youmu nodded happily, smiling widely. "Grandpa Youki says I'll be as strong as him one day too!" she said, looking at her grandfather.

"Yes, yes, that is true, but not at this age. It'll take years of practice and dedication." He said, spying Youmu with a puzzled look.

"Dead...eh..ka...shun?" the hybrid girl asked.

"That means that you stick with something until it's finished. Like...uhm.." Yuyuko said, thinking of something to compare to.

"Like a flower Youmu. Think of it like that. Do you plant a seed and leave it to grow on it's own? Of course not. You water it, tend to it. And with that, a healthier flower will bloom. If you don't it still might bloom, but the chances are slim. Now do you understand?" Youki explained, putting down his granddaughter.

Youmu nodded. "Uh-huh!" She said, her ghost half floating behind her.

Yuyuko looked at the two. In her eyes, they looked nearly alike, even their ghosts acted the same way. "So, Youmu, is that you're ghost?"

Youmu looked over to Yuyuko, who in her eyes towered over her. She nodded. "That's Myon!" She said. "She's my ghost half." the silver haired girl giggled, pulling Myon over and squeezing her tightly. "She's really soft!" She giggled.

Yuyuko smiled. "I bet she is Youmu." She pat Youmu's head a few times, then looked at Youmu. "Very nice granddaughter Youki."

The swordsman bowed. "Once again, thank you Miss Yuyuko."

"No need to thank me, Youki. I would love to see her come by more often, if that is alright with you."

Youmu's ear perked up. She quickly looked up and grabbed her grandfather by the leg. "Please Grandpa Youki! Can I come with you more often pleas?" She asked, hugging his leg tightly.

The older girl giggled lightly, hiding it behind her fan. Youki sighed lightly and plucked the girl from his leg, then knelt down. "You may come...but you cannot spend all of your time picking flowers or playing with Miss Yuyuko or staying with Lady Hikari. If you come, I except you to help me with my gardening for at least an hour and for you to practice your swordsmanship for another half an hour. It doesn't have to be done all at once, but by the time I take you home for the night, it must be done. Understood?"The silver haired swordsman explained.

Youmu nodded, understanding. "Uh-huh! I got it Grandpa!" She said, smiling.

"Well then, I can't wait to spend time with you Youmu." Yuyuko said, fanning herself off again.


	3. Tree's Ghostly Aura

Yuyuko was sleeping under the wilted cherry blossom tree. Over the past few weeks that Youki and Youmu have been coming, she has been keeping herself occupied and not as bored, normally taking a nap midway through the way under the tree. She didn't know why, but Yuyuko felt like it was falling her to sleep under it. She really didn't give it too much attention though.

Youmu, who was carrying a large bushel of flowers that blocked her sight, wobbled past Yuyuko, nearly falling over a few times. "Grandpa! I got the flowers you asked for!" She said, putting it down and looking around for Youki. "Grandpa?" She said, calling out. Her calling ceased and her eyes looked at Yuyuko sleeping. She was confused why she was sleeping there. "Yuyuko?" She said lightly. The half ghost slowly walked over. "Are you awake?" She asked, walking closer to the sleeping girl. "Yuyuko?" Youmu looked around, seeing a small stick on the ground. She picked it up, poking Yuyuko's cheek. The sleeping girl moved around a bit and brushed her cheek off. The half ghost giggled lightly, poking Yuyuko again.

"Nng..." Yuyuko muttered lightly as she brushed her cheek again to try and wipe away what was there. Youmu jumped back a bit as the girl got up slowly, stretching a bit. She covered her mouth, yawning, then rubbed her eyes. "Must be a fly or something nearby..." She started, seeing Youmu trying to hide the stick behind her back. "Youmu...was that you poking my cheek when I was sleeping?" She asked, kneeling down.

"It wasn't me Yuyuko! It must..uhm...it was a fly like you were saying!" Youmu said, trying to think of a way out of it.

Yuyuko nodded and giggled, clearly seeing the stick though. "I guess your right. Pesky fly." She smiled, patting Youmu's head gently. "So Youmu, why are you here? Did you do all your work for your grandfather?" She asked.

Youmu shook her head. "I need to give Grandpa those flowers!" She said, spinning around and pointing to an empty spot on the ground. "Where did the flowers go?" She said, looking around the area.

"Settle down Youmu...you'll find them. They can't grow legs and walk away." Yuyuko said, chuckling nervously as she seen the half ghost girl frantically run around.

"I put them right here! They should be here!" Youmu said, her lip quivering.

"We'll find them, don't worry" Yuyuko said, trying to calm the girl down.

"But..if I can't find them that Grandpa will think I didn't listen to him then I won't be able to come back here." Youmu said, now crying a bit. Yuyuko hurried to Youmu, hugging her in an attempt to calm her. "It's alright...We'll find them."

There were footsteps coming from behind the two, Yuyuko picking her head up and turning around to see who it was.

"Hello there Miss Yuyuko. I heard crying, so I thought something was wrong." Youki said, seeing as Yuyuko moved out of the way. "Youmu...how did I know?" He sighed lightly, walking over and kneeling. "What's wrong?"

"I...lost the flowers that..you wanted me to get." Youmu said, talking through a few sobbing breaths.

Youki smirked a bit. "I knew. I have them." he said, seeing Youmu's confused and shocked face. "I knew you would stop to play or talk with Miss Yuyuko, so I sent you to get flowers from here on purpose. But the fact that you owned up to losing them and were trying to find them, I cannot be mad at you. You're learning very quickly about honesty." He explained, smiling.

Youmu's expression slowly changed to one of happiness. "So..I can still come with you to visit Yuyuko?" She asked, seeing her grandfather nod. "Yay!" She yelled happily, tightly hugging Youki.

Yuyuko watched, smiling and giggling behind her fan. She was growing accustomed to Youki and Youmu's daily visits, helping the two with some work and watching after Youmu during her swordplay lessons. She grown to like the human/phantom girl like a little sister.

"Oh yes, Miss Yuyuko." Youki said, getting up from his knees and looking over to Yuyuko. "Master Tomari told me about the tree." He said, pointing to it.

Yuyuko turned around to look at it. Still as bleak and wilted as ever. "What did Father say about it?"

"It's one of those creatures. A legend really. He told me that it has been in your family for generations, never once blooming, but instead, calling people to sleep under it, where by it lulls them into such a deep sleep, they never wake up." Youki explained. "He also said that it's powers, though, are bound by a seal. So it is not much of a threat as long as the seals are kept. I suggest you try and find a new place to sleep for your afternoon naps than under this tree Miss Yuyuko."

Yuyuko nodded lightly, still looking at the tree. "I..see. Alright then, thank you Youki." She said.


	4. Gtsohly Bredors

"So..did your father ever explain why you couldn't sleep near the tree?"

"Of course he did. Father's always looking out for me. I think he's just a little bit insecure about the tree. I don't believe in the story anyway." Yuyuko said, sighing lightly. "But..Father's word is word, so I have to listen to it."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. He'll let up! So, where's your gardener and his granddaughter?"

"They went out for a bit. Mother and Father are out also. So..I'm alone here until they come back." Yuyuko sighed. She slid her fan out of her kimono's sleeve as she always would and opened it, begging to fan herself.

"Bored eh?"

"Yes...not too many people visit us due to our status. We're not the richest or the smartest, but we're still among the upper crust, so it's hard to find people that are 'friends' and not just servants or such."

"But what about Youmu? She's taking a liking to you."

"She'll be my family's gardener when Youki cannot be it anymore. So..it'll be the same way, more like a servant than friend." Yuyuko explained.

"Well...you got me."

Yuyuko smiled a bit. "You're right. Thanks." Yuyuko said, hugging the person she's been talking to.

"Anytime, anytime." She replied.

"So..how did you know about my family, Yukari?" Yuyuko asked.

The blond haired girl, now around the age of two hundred, equivalent to that of a teenager in their late years, giggled lightly. "Simple. I just asked around. Mainly if there was a family that had a well known daughter."

"So, they told you to find me?" Yuyuko asked, fanning herself still.

"Ah...not really. They kinda ignored me." She chuckled nervously.

The black haired girl giggled. "At least you tried."

"True. I just kinda...well..wandered here. Very nice place though." Yukari said, looking around. The two were outside in the fields.

"Thank you. I'll tell everyone you said that." Yuyuko said. "Well, um..what about you? Can I know some things on you?"

"Huh? Oh! Of course of course! I'm Yukari Yakumo, but you knew that. I'm not really from here...uh..what else." She said, trailing off. "You know about the youkai and stuff, right?" she asked, seeing Yuyuko nod.

"Of course. Youki and Father tell me stories about them. They say that there are many actually alive...I just never met them."

"Well, you did today. I'm a youkai. Two hundred years old." She said, seeing Yuyuko blink.

"What?"

"It's true." The youkai said, standing up. "I'm one of those youkai." She said, opening her parasol. "Watch..." She said, holding out her hand. A large, magical border opened on the ground, a symbol spinning and glowing. It soon flashed into a pool of light and vanished, leaving behind a small figure, a fluffy tail flicking about. It looked around, rubbing it's eyes, standing about three-forth's as tall as Yukari. "Yes Lady Yukari?"

"Nothing Ran, I just needed to prove to a friend something. But I'd also like you to meet her." Yukari said, walking next to the kitsune. "Yuyuko, this is my Shikigami, Ran."

Ran bowed. "Nice to meet a friend of my master." She said, the hat she wore flopped off.

Yuyuko's eyes quickly shifted to the two fox ears that twitched about in a large mess of golden brown hair. "Is..is she a youkai too?" Yuyuko asked.

"But of course. A kitsune is a fox spirit youkai. Ran is very loyal though, she won't harm you, right?" Yukari said, seeing Ran, dusting off the hat and putting it back on.

"I wouldn't do that to anyone...well, unless Lady Yukari ordered me to." Ran explained. "You see, I'm bound by a summoning contract to follow her bidding until I am to gain my own divinity."

"In about 1,400 years." Yukari giggled.

"What um..what do you two mean?" Yuyuko asked, very confused.

"A kitsune is born with one tail, that shows age and strength. Every hundred years they gain one tail, up to nine. Then, they lose one every hundred years until they reach four, which by that time, they reach an extremely powerful divinity." Yukari explained. "Ran here is only 79 years old. She'll be getting her second tail anytime soon."

Ran smiled, her arms in their sleeves and crossed over her chest. "Yes, yes, very soon Lady Yukari."

"Well..I guess you are a youkai then..but...don't youkai eat humans?" Yuyuko asked, worried now that she remembered that fact.

"No, no, that's a myth! There are a few who joke around, but none of us actually eat people." Yukari quickly replied.

Yuyuko slowly got up and smiled a bit. "Well..I guess it can't be that bad. Why don't I show you around?"

The Yakumo's smiled. "That would be great, thanks Yuyuko." Yukari replied, her and Ran following Yuyuko as she started the tour of where she lived.


	5. Butterfly Ghost Dance

"Where are you girlie?"

It was another day where Yuyuko's parents, along with Youki and Youmu had left her alone at the Saigyouji residence, and Yukari and Ran were on their way in little over an hour. But Yuyuko wasn't her normal self, in fact, she was utterly terrified.

"Come out come out wherever you are." a male voice said. The man, currently ransacking his way through the residence in an attempt to look for the young girl, for what reason, it was unknown to her.

Yuyuko was hiding as best as she could, trying to keep her motions slow and light, and her breaths short and quiet in order to keep her location unknown. She was in a panic. "Mother..Father...Youki..anyone..please hurry!" she muttered as quietly as she could. She was hiding in her room against a wall, next to the door so that the door would cover her when it opened.

"Where are you, you little runt?" The male said, walking closer to Yuyuko's room. In his hand, a simple knife, and a large spool of rope around his chest. "I'm not gonna hurt ya...just wanna tie ya up and possible use you to bribe your family for some money is all." He chuckled, flipping the knife around between his fingers.

Yuyuko covered her mouth in an attempt to stop a gasp. Her body was shaking in fear now and she wanted to leave her room to hide in a new location, but when she started, the door flew open, slamming against her. She yelped lightly in pain, quickly covering her mouth again.

The thief's mouth twisted into a grin as he slowly turned around and tried to find the voice. "I know your in this room...now, just come out without a fight and everything will be alright." He said.

The girl was on the verge of tears, constantly trying to gather herself to stay strong. "Why me...why out of all the people he could have picked!" She whispered to herself. She had nothing on hand that she could use for self defense.

"The hard way huh...oh well, you asked for it." The male said, flipping the knife around into a reverse grip, stabbing at the door. "You're back here!" He chuckled, ripping his knife out and stabbing again.

With this, Yuyuko screamed, the knife barely missing her skin, but cutting her kimono. She took a small opening when the knife was stuck and quickly dove out from behind the door and started for a mad dash to the hallway. "Oh no you don't!" the smirking man yelled, ripping his knife free and lunging at the girl, leaving a large gash in the back of her kimono. He hit the ground with a loud thud, quickly scrambling to his feet as he saw Yuyuko bolt from the residence and into the gardens.

"Where do I go?" The panicked Saigyouji kept repeating to herself, trying to think of a safe place. Only one place came to mind, but her Father had specifically warned her not to go to that location ever again. She threw that to the side, quickly running as fast as she could towards the safest spot, in her mind. Her breathing was loud and heavy and she didn't bother trying to be quiet. She knew she had no where to run and hide, so baiting the thief was the most she could to buy herself time until someone came, which no one knew how long it wold take.

"Found ya girlie!" The male yelled out to Yuyuko. The girl turned her head, but kept on running. She didn't like what she saw. The man was catching up to her, faster than she'd like. "I asked nicely and you ran off, so no more Mr. Nice guy!" he yelled, scooping up a rock as he ran. He quickly aimed and hurled it, the jagged objected colliding with the back of Yuyuko's head, sending her face first into the dirt. She pushed herself up slowly, spitting out some small dirt clods. She looked up, the sight of the large, wilted cherry blossom tree in her view. "Please..let that...legend be true..." she muttered.

"Alright, that takes care of you." he said, taking the rope off his chest. He picked up Yuyuko by the collar of her kimono. "Now, you'll make a VERY nice ransom." he chuckled, trying to tie her up, but the girl's struggling made it near impossible. "Hold..still dammit!"

"No! Help! Someone!" She yelled, trying to call for help. She flailed her arms and legs, trying to break free.

"Screw this...: he muttered, tossing the rope aside and grabbing Yuyuko in a bear hug style. He covered her mouth with his hand. "There, now try calling for help! Worthless." He chuckled, still hearing her still scream, though muffled. "You got quiet a mouth on ya, huh?" He chuckled, soon dropping her. "OW! You little bitch!" He growled, looking at blood on his hand from a bite mark.

Yuyuko stumbled away a bit and turned around, backing away and soon hitting the tree, her breathing heavier than before. "Go...go away!" She stammered out.

"You've got to be kidding! Just telling me ain't gonna work." He sneered, walking closer to Yuyuko.

"Go away!" She yelled in a panic, yet to no avail again. "I said...GO AWAY!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. The sound after that, one of pure joy as the thief laughed. He laughed as loud as any man could and as long too, but, it was his last. A pink butterfly, about the size of small green apple, fly around Yuyuko. The location of where the butterfly come from was unknown to her, but it calmed her for some reason. It fluttered about her, soon changing direction and heading for the man. He chuckled, soon seeing it go through him.

"What...what the hell?" He said in shock, turning around to find the butterfly covered in blood and slowly flying away. He looked in shock, soon feeling a burning pain ripple and tear at his body. His yells of pain followed, blood pouring out of his eyes, mouth, and ears. Gashes tore open his skin. He fell to his knees, his screams getting louder before they suddenly stopped, and he fell into a pool of his own blood.

Yuyuko watched in horror, slowly sinking to the ground. "Did...did I..." She said quietly, looking at her hands, as if they had done the deed themselves. "No..it...it couldn't have been...the tree did it..." She said, thinking about and swallowing. "No...I did do it..." She said, her eyes welling with tears. "I..I killed somebody..." she said, breaking down into tears.

"Yuyuko!" A female voice rang out. "I"m here! Ready for..our..." She started, looking around at the residence in shambles. "Ran...find Yuyuko at once." Yukari ordered, the shikigami nodding and quickly running through the house looking for the black haired girl. Yukari, on the other hand, looked around the garden in hopes that she went there. "Yuyuko? Yuyuko?" She called out, hearing the light sobs. Yukari looked over, seeing the girl hunched in front of the tree and the dead body. "Oh my...Yuyuko!" She yelled running over as fast as she could.

Yuyuko slowly looked up, her face red from crying. "Yu...Yukari?" She said, quickly getting up and diving for her friend and source of comfort at this time. She latched onto the youkai as she grew near, burying her face into Yukari's shoulder, crying even more now. "I killed a man Yukari! I...I don't know how!" She said, the only thing that could be clearly heard.

Yukari, shocked, didn't respond really, only gently holding Yuyuko. "You didn't mean to..right? What happened...do you wanna talk about it?"

"I..I don't feel comfortable talking about what just happened Yukarin...another time, please?" Yuyuko said through sobs, her face stilled buried

Yukari blushed lightly at the 'Yukarin', but she brushed it off, thinking that Yuyuko was too strung up to think clearly. "Alright...alright...take all the time you need..."


	6. Birth of a Ghost

"But..why can't I see her Father? She's a nice girl! She's my friend!"

"I don't care Yuyuko. She came here without us knowing. You know what she could have done to you?" Tomari said to his daughter.

"I know! But..I don't even have that many friends. Yukari is the only one who actually comes to see me."

"Why don't you go out and go see your other friends then?" Tomari said, trying to get Yuyuko to stop seeing Yukari due to a rule of the household.

"I can't go out alone! Someone is always following no matter where I go..."

"Your mother and I care for you Yuyuko, that's why we do that. And why do you think we rarely leave you alone? You remember that happened, right?"

Yuyuko slowly nodded. That day was still burnt into her head. "Yukari was...she was the one who calmed me down. I couldn't be happier to see her then." She said, her voice low. "I just want to see her when I want Father. Is that so much to ask for?"

Tomari sighed lightly and put a hand against his forehead. "Yuyuko, I'm sorry, but rules are rules. I cannot allow you to see her." He said.

Yuyuko bit her lip to keep herself from yelling in anger. "But..there has to be an exception Father, do you know how I felt after what happened? I just needed someone to just be there for me and she was!"

"I know she was but I'm the head of the household and what I say goes, Yuyuko!" Tomari said, raising his voice.

Yuyuko growled a bit, then stormed off past him and out into the fields. "Yuyuko, get back here this instant!"

Yuyuko ignored her father, storming off to the front gates to leave. "If he won't let me see my friend..I'll find her myself." she muttered. She looked around to make sure she could get a quick get away if the need arose. She seen Youki and Youmu busy with some gardening, unaware of what was going on.

"Yuyuko, you get back here right away!" Tomari yelled as he walked outside after Yuyuko.

Youki looked up. "Master Tomari, what's wrong?" he asked, getting up and looking at him.

"Youki! Stop Yuyuko!" He ordered, the male half ghost turning and seeing Yuyuko as she bolted past the front gates. Youki looked over, quickly running over in a blink of an eye, stopping in the middle of the pathway out of the Saigyouji property.

"Youki..please move out of the way..." Yuyuko asked as she stopped. Thought she was in a rage, her manners were still kicking in towards the gardener.

"I'm afraid I cannot Miss Yuyuko. Master Tomari ordered me to keep you from leaving, so I must...I am sorry about this though, now please, go back to your father."

Yuyuko sighed and slipped her fan out of her kimono sleeve as always, and opened it, fanning herself off. "Fine...just so I won't have to hear him complain and yell anymore..." she said, walking back to her father, who was glaring at her. She walked past him and into her room, slamming the door shut.

Tomari sighed as she brushed past him, turning to see her shut herself in her room. "I'm doing this for your own good, you know that." he said, walking to the door.

"Liar..." Yuyuko muttered, pressing her back against the door.

Hikari, who had been listening to the commotion, walked up to the door, next to her husband and knocked gently. "Yuyuko dear...you know your Father only means the best, right?"

"No he doesn't..." Yuyuko said, muttering it. "But..Mother..talk some sense into Father, you understand, don't you?"

"I do...but I have to agree with him this time." Hikari said, waiting for what her daughter would say in response.

Yuyuko bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I thought you would understand me..." She said, walking away from the door and lying down on her bed, crushed now that her own mother wouldn't side with her. "I just want a friend!" She yelled.

"Yuyuko...can we come in and talk, I think it would be better if-" Tomari started.

"No! Leave me alone!" She yelled, burying her face in a large pillow.

Her parents looked at each other, then slowly walked away. Light sobs could be heard from Yuyuko's room.

"I just want them..to go away..." She said through light sobs. She lifted her head slowly, hearing two faint gongs, like a large bell being struck. She looked around, seeing two pink butterflies float into her room from the direction of the youaki cherry blossom tree. Her eyes opened in shook. "N-no!" She finally managed to say as the two butterflies floated around Yuyuko. "Go..go away!" She understood that the butterfly was the thing that killed the man, and saying that she wanted her parents gone must has triggered the appearance of them. "Please..please leave! I don't want you here!" she said, still in shock as they started slowly for her door. She jumped off the bed, but in such shock that she hit the ground, only slowly getting to her knees instead of bolting for them. She scrambled for the door and flung it open and the butterflies slowly floated outside to Yuyuko's doomed parents. "Come..come back! Don't do this!" She begged, clawing her way over to them.

"Alright Youki, thank you for before." Tomari said, watching as the gardener called over his granddaughter.

"It was my duty to do as you said...but if I might say something, I suggest you be less strict on Miss Yuyuko. She seemed torn."

"I know, but I can't just suddenly be less strict but, I guess you are right. I'll see if I can talk to her." Tomari said.

Youki nodded. "Thank you Master Tomari. Now then, I must take my leave." He said, kneeling down. "Say goodbye Youmu."

The young girl yawned lightly and rubbed her eyes. "Good..bye.." She said sleepily, the adult smiling.

"Good bye to you too Youmu, sleep well." Hikari said, seeing Youki pick Youmu up and walk away with her. The two Saigyoujis walked into their house in time to see Yuyuko crawling after something they couldn't see in tears. "Yuyuko..is something wrong?" Hikari said, kneeling down.

Yuyuko slowly looked up, crying hysterically as she seen the butterflies make their way through her parents, exiting blood covered. "Mother..Father...I'm..I'm so sorry!" she cried.

"What are you ta-" Tomari started. He clenched his chest above his heart.

Yuyuko quickly covered her ears. "I'm so sorry!" She yelled over and over, trying to drown out the screams of her parents. The same thing that happened to the male, the blood pouring from him, happened to them. Her apologizing slowly stopped and she looked up slowly, laying her eyes on her parent's dead bodies. She slowly got up, blood on her kimono, but she didn't care. She looked around the house slowly, spotting a set of knives that hung in their sheath. She reached over for them and took them out of their cases and walked outside. "You..." She said as she walked into the gardens. She gripped the knives and stopped in front of the tree. "You wanted this...you called me to die, but instead you use my family first..that man was a test, wasn't he?" She asked the tree. "Well..too bad..I'm not letting you use me...never again!" She yelled, holding the blades up to her neck. "The legends are true...about this tree..." she said in a low voice. She pressed the blades against her skin, feeling a light trickle of blood. "Good..good bye Yukari...Youki..Youmu...I'm sorry." She said, quickly slitting her throat. She feel to her knees. She dropped the knives and clutched her throat. She felt the pain, but at the same time, she felt lighter. "No more...pain.." she mouthed falling on her back and looking up at the tree. She eyes rolled up to the sky, gray clouds slowly rolling in. The blood pooled around her body as her vision slowly faded. The wind whipped around a bit, the blood following it's path, leaving behind two large wings, angels wings. As Yuyuko's body went cold and her vision faded, she smiled lightly, knowing now she wouldn't cause anyone pain.


	7. Ghost's Home

A girl, lying on the ground outside in the snow, shot up and looked around, panting heavily. She looked around, slowly standing, but she quickly lost her balance and fell back down. She hasn't moved in years, some say hundreds, other actually say one thousand. She looked around still, rubbing her maroon eyes. She breathing slowly got under control. "H-hello?" She called out weakly, her voice a bit weak.

"Hm?" Someone else said from the nearby flower fields. She looked up and quickly ran over, two swords drawn in case of an intruder. "Who's there? Show you-" she started, quickly sheathing her swords and bowing. "I am so sorry Lady!" She quickly apologized. "I..I forgot what you looked like. It's been so long." She said, brushing some silver hair off her face as she returned to normal posture.

"Who...you look familiar..." The maroon eyed girl started, trying to figure out who the silver haired girl was.

"Lady..it's me...Youmu...Youmu Konpaku." Youmu said, looking at her worried.

"You..mu...?" the girl said, looking at the snow covered floor. She thought for a bit, then shot her head up. "Y-You're Youmu? Where's Youki?" She asked quickly.

"Gran-I mean, Master Youki left a long time ago, Lady Saigyouji. He is, well, currently a hermit." Youmu stated.

"Youki..a hermit..." Yuyuko said, looking at the ground again. "Why..why am I outside?" she asked. She had no memory of what happened.

"You don't know? You..um..you killed yourself, Lady Saigyouji." Youmu said, looking at Yuyuko, concerned.

"I..killed myself? Why would I do that?" Yuyuko asked, very confused.

"Lady Yukari and Master Youki told me what happened. Lady Yukari found your body at the cherry blossom tree. You had..two knives and you cut your throat open. She found you after you died though. Master Youki said that the legend was true. It calls people to their death by sleeping under it's shade." Youmu explained.

Yuyuko nodded slowly, then her eyes opened. "I..I killed Mother and Father!" She quickly explained, her memory of the day returning. She looked at her hands slowly, shaking a bit.

"Lady Saigyouji, please stop this. You didn't mean to. The Tree actually caused all of this, if you think about it. It, well, used you Lady Saigyouji, to kill them. I think, though, it gave you the power to kill mortal beings."

"I..see.." Yuyuko said, slowly lowering her hands but still looking at the ground. She sighed, then slowly looked up. "Have you see Yukari at all lately?"

Youmu shook her head. "Not for the past couple of years...I've seen her shikigami, Ran, though. She has been saying that Lady Yukari has been sleeping every day, nearly all day and when she's up, she does nothing." the half phantom explained.

Yuyuko nodded once more. "I...see.." she replied. She took in a deep breath and sighed, looking around and laying her eye son Youmu, who was shivering lightly. Her clothing looked the same as when she was a child, but much bigger. In addition, there were two sword sheaths that hung crossed over each other on her waist, the larger one having a pink flower at the end of it held on with some thin tape. "Is..is it cold outside?" She asked., seeing Youmu nod, Myon wrapping around her human in an attempt to warm her up. "How come I can't feel it...?" She asked, extending her arm and opening his palm, some snow falling on her hand, not melting.

"You came back to life as a ghost Lady Saigyouji."

"A ghost..." She said, floating just above the ground and slowly floating to where she used to live, looking around. The fields were different. More flowers and more space. She seen a few swirls of distorted light in the air and some thin smoke on the ground. Yuyuko stopped and snapped her fingers, the odd wisps in the air quickly flying over to Yuyuko and swirling around her hand. "These..are ghosts, are they not?"

The hybrid girl followed behind her master, nodding, nervous. "Yes..they are." She said.

"Why are ghosts living in the Saigyouji residence?"

"Well..without the lord and lady of the household, it fell. The house is still standing, since Gra- Master Youki and I were taking care of it. Because of your suicide, Lady Saigyouji, you turned this into a place for the dead souls between heaven and hell to rest."

Yuyuko nodded, playing with the ghost wisps. "Hakugyokurou...this is what this place is now, the Netherworld, Hakugyokurou." Yuyuko stated, flicking her wrists to send the ghosts away. "Youmu, thank you for staying until I awoke."

Youmu smiled lightly. "It is my duty. After all, your father, Lord Tomari, entrusted in the services of the Konpaku family until they were no longer needed...and without a lord or lady to follow under, my orders stayed to watch over the lands here."

"How long..has it been?" the ghost asked.

"How long what, Lady Saigyouji?"

"That you've been waiting here for me..that I've been dead..."

"Nearly 1,000 years. Time seemed to have stopped here, so I've stopped aging." The gardener said.

Yuyuko nodded, sliding a fan out of her kimono sleeve. She fanned herself off as she did in her mortal life. "Well then...I guess I should lead the Saigyouji clan." She said, starting for the gates once more. "Just one more question..." She asked, Youmu hurrying to her side. "The Cherry Blossom Tree...I can tell it is a youkai...but it's power will keep growing if left unchecked, but there is a binding spell on it."

The half human/ghost nodded. "You..are correct Lady Saigyouji. Lady Yukari and Master Youki were able to bind it using a body...they never told me whose body, and the two swore secrecy to it. But the Tree is bound by that body and cannot do any more harm."

Yuyuko fanned herself off more. "I understand...thank you.."


	8. Gathering of Ghosts

"So...this is the place where it's going?"

"That's what I've been hearing. This is..uncharted territory though. I've never been here. It does look familiar."

"Just keep your guard up then. Who knows what could be here...Mistress would have my head if I didn't come back to her in working state of mind and body."

"She's have your head if you gave her the wrong flavor tea~ze!"

"Can't you go one day without doing that stuff Marisa?"

"Well excuse me miko!" Marisa sighed, sitting on her broom and flying next to Reimu and Sakuya. The three were in the middle, of what Reimu called it, the Stolen Spring Incident.

"So...where are we~ze?"

"Who knows." Reimu replied. The three battled their way through the snow ghost, Letty; the black cat, Chen; the puppeteer Alice, with which both Reimu and Marisa where shocked to see; and the ghostly band Lunasa, Merlin, and Lyrica. Who next, not even they knew. Their only hint was that the next person could be the one draining the spring essence from Gensokyo, but for what, they had absolutely no clue.

"And what's with all of these stairs?" Marisa asked once more, the three climbing the seemingly endless staircase.

Sakuya sighed. "If we knew, we would have told you by now." She replied, twirling a knife between her fingers.

"Look you two, enough with the fighting...that's all you two did while we tried to settle this Incident, alright?"

"Just be lucky we're comin' with ya Rei~ze." Marisa started. "Keeping Gensokyo under control is the Hakurei Shrine Maiden's duty, not her, and her witch friend and maid tagalong." Marisa said, looking around.

"I know that! And don't call me 'Rei'! The miko snapped, feeling a sudden, strong burst of wind fly past her. She stopped in her tracks and looked around.

Sakuya and Marisa came to a screeching halt and looked around. "Hey Rei, whaddya see?" Marisa asked, peering off into the direction of Reimu's gaze.

"I'm not so sure, but there is someone else here..she's fast." Sakuya said, flicking her wrist, two knives between each finger. She peered through the oddly thin mist.

Marisa sighed. "You two are seeing things, let's keep going." She said, starting to leave the group, when she felt the wind burst and spied a person in her way.

"Halt! None shall pass the gates into the Netherworld!"

The three looked at each other, Marisa holding back a laugh. "Looks like we found out where to go." She said.

The girl drew her two swords and slashed at Marisa, who was a distance away. Though the blades obviously missed, which caused Marisa to laugh, the shockwave created a wall of arrow danmaku that rushed and homed onto Marisa.

"Marisa!" Reimu yelled, hurling four talismans at Marisa. The paper charms formed a box and activated a barrier, absorbing the danmaku. "Pay attention dammit!" She yelled, rearing back and bolting towards the swordswoman, hurling a small swarm of needles.

She spun her sword and broke the needles, once more slashing downwards and making another dense swarm. She dashed out of view.

Reimu stopped herself midflight and braced herself for impact, though it never happened. Marisa smirked, blowing some smoke off her mini-hakkero. "Narrow Spark saves the day." She chuckled, putting it back in a small pouch on her hip.

Sakuya, not doing anything seemingly, kept herself on watch. She closed her eyes and her head was down.

"Hey Maid, you okay~ze?"

The silver haired maid quickly flung her body around and hurled the knives in her hand, hearing them hit against the metal of the swordswoman's blade. "Found her."

The witch and miko looked at Sakuya, then saw her knives fall to the ground. "Good job." Reimu said, hurling a test talisman. No sound. "She..moved..that fast?"

"No human can move that fast." Sakuya started.

"...other than you~ze." Marisa said.

Sakuya sighed. "Thank you for stating the obvious. When this is done, go find some mushrooms or whatever it is you witches do." She flicked her wrists again, more knives between her fingers. "Indiscriminate" She said, flinging pairs of knives in every direction and listening for the sound of metal on metal. The only sound so far was Marisa and Reimu trying to stay alive in the friendly fire. Then, finally, the sound was heard and Sakuya quickly flung more knives wildly in that direction, this time hearing them batter against something made of pure stone. She growled a bit, quickly stopping time to retrieve her knives, then quickly resumed time as she grew closer to her allies.

"Well..anything?" Reimu asked, seeing the silver haired girl shake her head. "This one's going to be a problem if we don't do anything soon..."

The burst again, but this time the girl was standing on the steps in front of them. "I gave you fair warning to leave. Now, there is no need to hold back." She said, swinging her swords, no danmaku.

Reimu sighed, Marisa chuckled, and Sakuya eyed the girl. "Who are you, first off, second, what's with you?" Reimu asked.

"I suppose it is fair for you to know my name before you die. I am Youmu Konpaku, gardener of the Netherworld an-" she started, hearing Marisa burst out laughing.

"A gardener! A swordswoman! Oh that's a good one!" She said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Youmu growled. "You dare mock the Konpaku and Saigyouji names?" She said, pointing to the sky as Myon obeyed, it's tail hanging just above Youmu's black bow.

"Saigyouji...is that who's stealing the spring?" Sakuya said, punching the still laughing Marisa in the arm. "Be quiet already! I don't know why Little Mistress didn't smear your blood against her room walls when you found her..."

Marisa rubbed her arm, mocking Sakuya. "...damn meido" She grumbled.

"Fighting with each other...this will be a simple end. In the name of the Lady Saigyouji...I will end your life here!" She yelled.

The three quickly looked over, all attacking her at once in an attempt to quickly get her out of the way. Their attack, though, was cut short by Youmu's quick and deft sword slices, cleaning destroying everything they sent at her. "The things my sword cannot cut...are next to none." She chuckled, holding up a spellcard. "Hell Realm Sword: 200 Yojana in 1 Slash!" She yelled, Myon suddenly shooting out a constant wave of giant red bubble danmaku. Youmu slid to the side and crossed her swords.

"This looks easy enough." Marisa said, casually sliding between the bubbles and shooting at Youmu. She smirked, soon feeling very sluggish. "Wha...?" She said, looking around to see if anything was on her, holding her down.

Reimu looked around, her eyes finally spotting Youmu, across the battlefield. "How did she ge-" she started, getting hit in the side by a small blue danmaku shell. "How did that get there?" She asked, making a small barrier to block the bullets as she watched the battle.

Youmu, who was slowing time down enough to race across the field, was cutting the red bubbles in a line, causing them to explode in a shower of smaller blue shells. "Steer clear of the bubbles! She's making them explode!" Reimu warned her allies.

"Understood." Sakuya replied, hurling knives in the air that hung in place, like glued to the air. Each one was aimed in a different place along the easily traced line that Youmu was following. She quickly stopped times, her eyes flashing red and hurling a knife as Youmu neared a bubble. Sakuya smirked and closed her eyes to revert time and ready to hear the sound, but it hit the stairs and bounced off. "How did she get out of my time stop?" She asked. She noticed, Youmu's eyes flashed red every time she dashed across the field. "No..it couldn't be..she can control time too?" She said aloud.

Youmu responded to her question after slicing a row of bubbles in half. "I just move so quickly, that the air around me compresses so much I can speed or slow up myself and the danmaku, making it look like I control time." She said, feeling a laser sear her side. She glared at Marisa, once again laughing. "Keep an eye on your surroundings!" She said, seeing Youmu pull out another spellcard.

"Hell's God Sword: God's Flashing Slash as Karma Gust!" She yelled, Myon suddenly making each row of bubbles extremely condensed and moved them across the field at a much quicker pace. Youmu quickened her own pace, dashing across the field a total of five times, making a large field of danmaku rain down.

"Duplex Barrier!" Reimu yelled, throwing a large talisman in front of her. It grew and shattered, leaving behind a barrier that ate at the bullets while Reimu attempted to end the downpour of bullets.

Youmu took the ful force of each, the card breaking. She looked around the field, the three were tired already, that or holding back their strength. Youmu slashed her swords at the air, making more ripples as arrow danmaku attempted to pummel the three. In the quick bluff, she pulled out two spellcards, putting one under her bow. "Brute Sword: Karmic Punishment of the Idle and Unfocused!" She yelled, dashing between Marisa and Sakuya, a gust blowing a light wave of danmaku at them. Before they could react, she slowed down time and aimed between Reimu and Marisa and flew between the two, trailed by another wave of danmaku, finally dashing between Reimu and Sakuya in the same fashion.

The three looked as Youmu dashed between them. "She's too fast!" Reimu yelled, using her Duplex Barrier once more. "I can't use these things all the time, I only bring so many." She said, quickly fingering through her remaining three. The bullets were eaten, but the sheer number of them persisted after the barrier wore off, pummeling against the three.

Youmu landed against Myon and flipped onto her ghost half. "Spell Break!" She yelled, her card breaking. "Asura Sword: Obsession With the Present Lunatic World!" She yelled, drawing both her swords and flying in the middle of the group, creating a danmaku spewing ripple.

Sakuya, who recovered from the previous card quick enough, stopped time and shoved Reimu and Marisa out of the way before resuming time. In the rescue though, a large bullet rammed into her back.

"Sakuya!" Marisa yelled as she recovered and her hear yell. She felt Youmu dash between her and Reimu now, figuring out Youmu's pattern. "Non-Directional Laser!" She yelled, pulling out her hakkero and firing three lasers to eat the bullets, giving Reimu and Sakuya more than enough time to recover.

Youmu reared back and landed against Myon, ready to jump off for the final stroke.

"Reimu! Duplex Barrier now! Sakuya, after that, knife her!" Marisa ordered.

"I have three left Marisa!" Reimu said, reaching for them.

"Just do it, I have a plan~ze!" The black-white which smirked.

"This shall be...your end!" Youmu yelled as she dashed towards Reimu and Marisa with all her might.

"Duplex Barrier!" Reimu yelled, throwing her paper charm. It formed just as Youmu collided with it, freezing her in place with a paralyzing shock.

"Sakuya, now before she can recover!" Marisa yelled, seeing Sakuya throw a dense wave of knives, slicing Youmu before she could recover. Marisa flew in front of Youmu, holding her mini-hakkero point blank at Youmu's face. "Master Spark!" She yelled, blasting the swordswoman backwards with the rainbow colored laser. She smirked and blew the smoke off her hakkero once more. "Piece a' cake~ze!" she chuckled.

Sakuya and Reimu flew over, all three battered. "I have to say, that was a smart idea, using her speed against her." Sakuya said.

"Yea, battles are all about power anyway. Who needs flashy skills when you can kill them right off the bat~ze!" She said, fixing her hat.

A slash was heard behind them and the familiar hum of bullets was heard. They turned around to see another ripple spewing out diamond shaped danmaku. "Human God Sword Attainment of Eternal Truth!" She yelled, shooting out a whip-like wave of danmaku. It split into three, red waves, the middle one directly between the three, other two around them.

"She's still up?" Reimu growled, keeping two large yin-yang orbs behind her to block the diamond danmaku. Sakuya created a knife wall, Marisa simply used her speed in hopes to dodge them.

"Looks like it~ze." Marisa said, shooting at Youmu with her magic missiles.

"But she's not moving...as much. We do have a slight advantage." Sakuya said, swinging her arm to send a wave of knives at Youmu, most making their mark. The silver haired swordswoman though, kept attacking with all her might, but before long she stopped.

Youmu broke her spell card once more and pulled out one last card. "Deva God Sword: Components of Konpaku!" She yelled, her energy was wearing thin and she was using everything she had left.

"She's outta steam~ze!" Marisa chuckled, aiming her hakkero through the waves of rainbow colored arrow danmaku. "Master Spark!" She yell once more, firing her trademark through the arrow, hearing it ram against something sharp.

"Did...did she just...?" Reimu asked, seeing the beam get cut in half and the danmaku resume.

"I told you, the things which my sword cannot cut are next to none!" she said, firing off another large barrage before retreating through the cover of the bullets.

The three allies fought through the wave, then looked as it suddenly died. "Where did she go?" Sakuya asked.

"I bet she went to that Saigyouji person~ze." the witch said.

"I bet...we need to move." Reimu said, flying up the stairs with Marisa and Sakuya behind her.

"Lady Saigyouji" Youmu said, kneeling in front of Yuyuko. "I..I have done all I can, but they are too strong..I fear that they will stop what you are planning to do."

Yuyuko looked up at the Cherry Blossom Tree. "They will not stop me. It's nearly at full bloom, for the first time." Yuyuko smiled lightly. "Thank you for all of your help Youmu, but I must ask you to buy me some more time. One more attack and I will have what I need."

Youmu slowly got up from her knees, then bowed. "Yes Lady." She said, drawing her swords and waiting at the gate.

"Just...three more sources of spring...and I will bloom you and break the bond."


	9. Cherry Tree's Ghost

"Who was that girl?" Reimu asked the group as they quickened their pace up the staircase. Their wounds were still there, though healed thanks to a special medicine that Sakuya carried with her.

"I dunno..but she was pretty strong~ze."

"Her attacks were based on the Six Realms of Rebirth from Buddhism." Sakuya said. "So, she might be a religious person or just one to follow in a way of the laws of karma."

"...and how do you know this?" Marisa asked, sitting on her broom like always.

"Miss Patchouli has some very interesting books." the maid replied. A small smirk grew on Marisa's face.

"Anyway, we should be on guard still, she didn't get knocked out like the others did. She fled. She and Saigyouji might still be around, so just keep an eye out." Reimu said, looking around still. "What's with these damn stairs?" She asked.

Marisa shrugged. "I dunno...too many for my liking~ze" she said. "What was that thing following her anyway?"

"That..white blob?" Reimu said, thinking. "Looked like a ghost if you ask me."

Sakuya kept quiet in the discussion, spying the blob form before. "Reimu..Marisa..she's back." The three stopped as she said that and looked at Youmu stood on the stairs once more, her clothing still torn and body cut and bruised.

"What do you want?" Reimu asked, floating in the air, a palm over her needles.

"I will not let you harm Lady Saigyouji, even if it means my life. Now retreat." She said, drawing her swords.

Marisa laughed once more, hearing Sakuya sigh. "We destroyed you before! What makes this time different?" She asked, through the laughs.

"Six Realms Sign: Lunatic Ageless Obsession!" Youmu yelled, quickly dashing out of view. The sounds of cuts were heard tearing at the air, leaving deep space rends in the air around the three allies. Each slash was positioned around them to trap them. Youmu dashes back into sight beyond the cuts, her swords crossed over her face. She gently tapped the metal together, the slash marks pouring out danmaku arrows in every direction.

"This..sucks...~ze" Marisa said, quickly dodging the danmaku swarm.

"She took out all the stops." Sakuya said, grazing through the bullets.

"I will not let you harm Lady Saigyouji for as long as I can fight!" Youmu said, repeating her slashing motions, this time, the danmaku suddenly picking up speed.

"This is not fair!" Marisa yelled, getting nicked by the arrow danmaku.

"Shut up and dodge!" Reimu yelled, throwing a few of her special homing talismans in hopes to hit Youmu.

The silver haired warrior took the blows, tapping her blades to unleash another swarm. "I will not lose!" She yelled, doing another slash and tap motion.

"She just won't let up!" Marisa said, firing a few magic missiles at Youmu before, narrowly avoiding a danmaku to the face.

Sakuya took out her pocket watch, her eyes going red. "Private Time." She said, the bullets suddenly stopping, while Youmu still attempted her attacks. Those fired stopped too, then suddenly shatters in midair. "Now..." she said, seeing the silver haired swordswoman charge up for another attack. "Private Square!" The maid said, hurling her pocket watch past Youmu as she started her attack. "When she gets back into place..attack."

Marisa armed her hakkero, running low of her dried mushroom blocks. "Wait for it..." She muttered, seeing Reimu deploy a Duplex Barrier to protect herself, Marisa and Sakuya. Just as Youmu started to tap her swords, Sakuya's pocket watch shot back to it's owner, hitting Youmu on the back of the head and throwing her off balance. :Now Marisa!" Sakuya ordered, catching the pocket watch

"Master Spark!" She yelled, engulfing Youmu in the rainbow colored blast of energy. As the energy died down, Youmu was seen falling from the air, landing against the ground with a loud thud. She struggled to push herself up and off the ground, but from the previous battle, her arms gave out. She panted, Myon still floating around her. "Lady...Saigyouji...I'm sorry." She muttered.

"Jeez Marisa did you kill her?" Reimu snapped.

"She's alive. That ghost is a part of her. As long as one of the two are moving if the other is incapacitated, then their still alive." Sakuya said, hooking the watch onto the side of her apron. There was a chain with a small hook just for it.

"Yea..let's just keep going~ze." Marisa said, quickly taking off and over Youmu. Reimu followed close behind. Sakuya followed, lagging behind though. "Sorry.." She muttered as she flew over Youmu.

In the gardens of the Netherworld, Yuyuko stood still, looking at the tree. "Almost there...soon, you'll bloom and show me what is keeping you bound." She said, fanning herself off even in the dead of winter. "Youmu..thank you..you gave me all the time I needed." She said to herself, turning around and smirking under her fan as the three heroines. "Welcome...I see you fought past Youmu."

The three landed, all armed and ready. "Yes...we did..persistent girl you have." Reimu started. "Now, who are you and what are you doing with spring?" She asked.

"Isn't it simple?" the ghost said, out stretching her arms. "I need every drop of spring to bloom this mighty cherry blossom tree." She folded her fan and slid it down her kimono sleeve.

"What's so special about that tree anyway~ze?"

Yuyuko turned around. "This tree has a mighty power...anyone it wants shall die. It calls them to sleep under it's branches...then kills then in their sleep by robbing them of their souls." She said, proud of what she was about to do. "I...I am going to revive this never blooming tree so that I might see what has this powerful youkai's deadly ability sealed." She said, emitting a light, slightly insane giggle.

"You want to revive a deadly youkai?" Sakuya asked. "Reimu..Marisa.." she started, the two nodded.

"Don't act so high and mighty. I rule this land. If you were not here...you three would have been dead. I can kill any mortal..by simply wishing it. Being in the Netherworld is the equivalent of being dead. You are lucky...but that's it." Yuyuko said, floating into the air and turning around. "In the name of the Saigyouji clan and the dead souls of it's abrupt and tormenting end, I, Yuyuko Saigyouji, shall kill you three here! Nothing shall get in my way of revive this tree!" Yuyuko yelled, her memories of a human were slowing returning. "You all will feel the same pain I did all those years ago!"


	10. Ghost of the Pure

"You three shall not stand in my way!" Yuyuko yelled. She slid a spellcard from her sleeve.

Reimu growled. "One already? Dammit!" She said, quickly whipping some of her talismans at the ghost.

"Losing Hometown: Lost Soul's Village -Suicide-!" Yuyuko yelled, unleashing her spell. A wave of arrow danmaku attacked the three, whipping from the left in a wave like motion. Yuyuko slid a fan from her sleeve.

"This seems simple enough~ze." Marisa chuckled. She dodged the bullets easily, soon seeing what Yuyuko had in plan.

The ghost held her fan, closed, and spun around, creating a large five pronged wave of energy to pin Marisa between in and the arrow waves.

"What the?" Marisa yelled, quickly ducking the lasers, but between battered by the arrow danmaku. Yuyuko smirked and shifted her aim to Sakuya. She whipped the wave form the right, the laser fan from the left.

Sakuya eyed the battle field. She rushed under the lasers and quickly looked at the danmaku, grazing between them. Reimu took the slit opening to try and help Marisa recover after the attack. "You alright?" the shrine maiden asked.

"Yea yea..I'm fine..." She said, getting back onto her broom and hovering into the air, Reimu at her side. "Let's get her..." She smirked, quickly firing a volley of magic missiles aided by Reimu's needles.

Yuyuko kept her smirk on, it dropping though as she was assaulted by the magic and needles. Her spell broke and she recoiled back, using the momentum to 'land' in midair. "You three really are persistent...but you cannot think to hold out much longer." She said, quickly whipping her arms to send a wave of bubble danmaku at the three. She used this cover to ready her second spellcard.

"Her attacks...are a lot different than her guard's." Sakuya said as she gracefully dodged the bullets.

"Hers are more traps and indirect attacks..keep that in mind!" Reimu said as she saw a spellcard flash.

"Deadly Dance: Law of Mortality -Demon World-!" She flew above the cherry blossom tree, a large fan opening behind her.

"What the hell is that~ze?" Marisa asked, seeing Yuyuko as she began her attack. Her spell unleashed a swirl of butterflies.

"I..I dunno..just keep fighting her dammit!" Reimu said. She was getting more and more worried as the battle went on, even though Yuyuko was only two spellcards in. The three were tired and running low on weapons from the previous battles.

"Now..suffer!" Yuyuko yelled, her Nirvana behind her unleashing seven large souls, each group of seven hurdling for one of the three. "Feel the wrath of the departed souls!"

"Now THIS is fair..." Marisa groaned. She armed her hakkero. "I'm almost outta fuel..I got five blocks left and knowing how this'll go..I'll be out of it in no time~ze!" Marisa said, aiming the generator into the air. "Non-Directional Laser!" She yelled as she unleashed the spinning laser. It ate away at the bullets, but the sheer amount that Yuyuko was using quickly overwhelmed it.

Reimu growled, quickly throwing a fierce volley of homing talismans before taking a butterfly danmaku to her stomach. She doubled over, one of the soul volleys soon colliding with her and sending her flying into the ground.

"..pitiful shrine maiden." Yuyuko yelled. She broke her card just as Sakuya and Marisa were about to be hit, seeing their confused looks. Her giant Nirvana remained open and it soon unleashed knives at the three.

"Shit..."Marisa grumbled. She flew over to reimu and helped her up, seeing the knives whiz past them. They stayed at fixed positions. "This'll be easy now." the witch said.

"Don't get too comfortable!" Sakuya yelled as she seen a large surge of energy. It exploded into a giant wave of bubble danmaku. She watched and dodged the danmaku. It was moving extremely slow compared to the others, but the large wave was drawing the knives towards the three. "She's crafty..."

Yuyuko smirked once more, hiding her face behind one of her fans. "Flowery Soul: Butterfly Delusion." She said, hiding the card behind her fan. As the knives stopped and the bubbles died, a pulse of blue bullets poured out from the giant fan, and from the ghost, eight thin, white strands started for the three. "The tool that killed me..shall kill you!" She yelled, clenching her fist. The white strands quickly clumped and exploded into a small swirl of butterflies.

Reimu quickly reacted, seeing as how the bullets had her and her allies trapped. "Duplex Barrier!" She yelled, quickly throwing her last barrier talisman between the three and absorbing the bullets. She sighed, then her eyes flew open as the wispy strands still made their way towards them.

"How is she this strong?" Sakuya asked in sheer fear now, seeing as how Yuyuko took next to no damage, while her cards were very powerful. The maid jumped away from the strands and stopped time to catch her breath. She armed herself with as many knives as she could and hurled them in the stopped time. She looked over to Reimu and Marisa and quickly dragged them out of the way of the exploding trails. "This...will be the most difficult battle I have ever fought." She said as she resumed time.

Yuyuko looked as time resumed, her eyes were fixed on the position of the maiden and witch before Sakuya froze time. "Huh? Where did those two g-" she started, soon being assaulted by the knife wall. She fell to the ground, but recoiled off as her card broke. "You...little runt!" Yuyuko yelled, a large cut on her right cheek. No blood pour from it though. "I'll show you to true power of the Saigyouji Clan!" She yelled.

"What is with you? Why do you keep going on about that?" Reimu asked, she held a few talismans in her hand.

"My poor clan was killed...in front of my own eyes by a force from the cherry blossom tree." Yuyuko said as she pulled out a spellcard. Her Nirvana closed and vanished from sight. "I want everyone...to feel the same pain I did as I watched my parents die in front of my eyes! I want them to live through my life and live how I did!" She yelled, her voice was getting angrier and louder, more unstable. "I will end your lives here and tortures your souls in my realm! Hakugyokurou shall be your home!" She yelled, activating her spellcard. "Subtle Melody: Repository of Hirokawa -Divine Soul-!" She yelled. She flew into their and whipped around. Every place she stopped, a large wave of butterflies hurdled at one of the three exhausted humans. "Suffer...suffer...suffer!" She yelled as three large rings of butterflies poured out, making a mash of danmaku.

"Marisa..." Reimu said, watching as the danmaku hurled at them.

The witch nodded and quickly armed her hakkero with the last of her energy blocks. "Master..Spark!" She yelled, blasting through the thick wave with her rainbow laser. Yuyuko took the full blow, her spellcard breaking once more. She panted and hovered in the air.

"How much longer can she go?" Sakuya asked. "She's winded now!"

"Just hold on a bit longer..."Reimu said. "We're out of tricks, nothing but brute strength now."

Yuyuko growled a bit. Her Nirvana opened again and she flew into the air. "Cherry Blossom Sign: Perfect Cherry Blossom of Sumizome -Seal-!" She said through her teeth as her spellcard shattered. The spell still went off though. Her Nirvana fan rained down diamond shaped danmaku while the ghost herself fired due beams, each which split into three small groups of butterflies, those too splitting into a spike of danmaku in various directions.

The three launched into the air and unleashed their strongest attacks. They had to do without the protection from Reimu and the sheer power of Marisa, but what damage they could do would help.

Yuyuko ignored the blows, her spellcard suddenly reforming as she took more and more hits. "Cherry Blossom Sign: Perfect Cherry Blossom of Sumizome -Getting Lost-!" She said, the speed and density of her danmaku increasing. "A soul's path...one that has this tree bound...the essence of spring shall be it's key..." Yuyuko said.

"And we have the last bits..." Reimu said. "We can try a move.." She started, getting blown into the ground by a sudden surge of diamond danmaku.

"Reimu?" Marisa yelled, turning around.

"Marisa! Don't drop your guard!" Sakuya said, hurling a wave of knives at Yuyuko, who ate away at the blades like they where nothing.

"R-right.." Marisa said, turning around, narrowly dodging a butterfly wave. She retorted with a quick blast of magic, hitting Yuyuko dead in the center of her chest.

Yuyuko recoiled, her spellcard shattering, then reforming. "Cherry Blossom Sign: Perfect Cherry Blossom of Sumizome -Deep Sleep-!" She yelled, her danmaku getting even more speed and density, now with the addition of a wave of bubble danmaku. "The longest sleep...of one thousand years..." Yuyuko said.

Sakuya looked back, Reimu slowly getting back to her feet. "Private Time!" She yelled, shattering Yuyuko's bullets in midair, giving the maiden just enough time to get back into the fight.

"How...this is impossible!" Marisa yelled, sending another magic blast at Yuyuko, who yet again took the blow. The ghost's eyes were closed and she kept her attack strong.

"Just get her to stop!" Reimu yelled back, hurling as many of her needles and talismans as she could, aided with Sakuya's knives.

Yuyuko kept taking the shots, her card, for the final time, shattering and reforming. "Cherry Blossom Sign: Perfect Cherry Blossom of Sumizome: -Bloom-!" She yelled, her attacks suddenly engulfing the field in bullets. "I..will...revive the soul! I will make the tree bloom!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she kept increasing the strength of her final stand. "No one shall stand in my way! Not even the almighty power of Hakurei Shrine Maiden! I don't care with her death this world shall fall! I will bring you all down with me if I must!" Yuyuko yelled.

The three panicked, rushing through the giant mess of butterflies, bubbles and diamonds. The space between them was virtually nonexistent.

"There is.." Reimu started, narrowly missing a wave. "..no way to win...we need to shed the border." She said.

Marisa flashed a panicked look to the miko. "What is wrong with you~ze?" Marisa yelled. "If we do she'll bring the damn tree back!"

"We don't have a choice!" Sakuya retorted. She hurled her pocket watch. "Private Square!" She yelled as it boomeranged back. Everything in the row was obliterated, giving Reimu time.

"Spring Border Shed: Hakurei Ritual!" Reimu yelled, clasping her hands. The three glowed a bright pink, then a thin veil erupted off them. Cherry blossom petals were seen flying off the veil as the veil tore through the danmaku and hurled towards Yuyuko.

The ghost broke her spellcard, laughing. "You idiots! I thank you for the help...I promise to make your death quick...and painful." She chuckled as she turned to see the cherry blossom tree as it slowly bloomed. "Yes..yes..show me the body that is binding you!" She yelled, laughing with a highly insane tone.

The three allies landed, panting heavily and watching in pure fear as to what could happen next.

Yuyuko laugh got louder and more insane. "Arise forsaken body! Show me your true form!" She yelled. Her eyes slowly drifted onto the seal wrapped around the tree. It tore off and the paper charms burned. From the ground, a body slowly rose, Yuyuko taking great pride. "Now...who are y-" she started. She covered her mouth and backed away, falling over onto her back. "N-no!...It...it couldn't be!" She said, gasping. "T-that's..."

The body hovered just above the ground. It looked around and eyed Yuyuko. It had two deep gashes on her neck.

"I...I...I was the one..who was binding this tree?" She said, as she tried to get up. She fell to her knees, in shock. "No..it..it's couldn't be!" She yelled, grabbing her head. "No...no...no!" She yelled as loud as she could. "How..how could I be the seal?" She yelled, falling to the ground.

The body of Yuyuko hovered over her ghost self and looked down. The ghost was in the same position and same spot as when she killed herself. She held her palm to Yuyuko's face, suddenly quieting her and making her lifeless. It looked at Reimu, Marisa, and Sakuya last and slowly hovered into the air. "You...three" it said in Yuyuko's voice. "I thank you...for helping her...but your time has come..."


	11. New Ghosts

Yuyuko's dead body slowly hovered into the air. "I must kill you...I thank you for helping myself with my resurrection. But..the ritual requires a human sacrifice...and three will be just as good." It said, a spellcard twirling in front of her face.

"N-no..even she has one?" Reimu said.

"Dammit! Just how much longer are we gonna have to fight her~ze!" Marisa yelled in anger. Her hakkero was useless now that she was out of energy blocks.

"She's extremely persistent...she won't go down without a final stand." Sakuya said, whipping her arms to send a surge of danmaku at the ghost, only to find the blades fly through her. "I...I don't even think we can hurt her..." Sakuya said, palming her pocket watch.

"Just survive this..every card breaks..." Reimu said, floating just above the ground.

"Resurrection Butterfly: -10% Reflowering-" Yuyuko's ghost said, executing an extremely graceful and deadly wave of butterflies and bubbles. Her attack was to kill and she would do just that, alive or dead.

The three quickly dodged, all trying to think of a plan. "Hey Rei!" Marisa yelled, flying past a quick and sudden surge of butterflies.

"What is it Marisa?" Reimu yelled through the confusion. She narrowly dodged a large bubble danmaku.

"Bind the tree again! She said she was bound to it! If you can seal her again this'll be over!" Marisa yelled, finishing before a danmaku surge collided into her and sent her sprawling into the floor.

"Marisa!" Sakuya yelled, reaching for her pocket watch. A stray butterfly, though, collided with her hand and snapped her unhooked dial away. She grabbed her damaged hand and winced, looking up at Yuyuko.

"One is gone..two remain..." She said, her card breaking and growing from the fragments. "Resurrection Butterfly: -30% Reflowering-" she said, her attacks gaining a drastic increase in speed. "You three shall be the final key in my new life..."

"Oh no you don't! I'll make sure that your sealed back inside that damn tree!" Reimu yelled. She jumped, spiraling backwards and hurling a large talisman at the tree. It made contact and the tree's leaves started to wilt, some falling off along with twigs. A ritual circle started on the tree, revealing three more smaller circles for talismans. The maiden smirked, as she readied the others.

Yuyuko felt the pain and groaned, her danmaku stopping. "Ahhh!" She yelled, clutching her stomach. "You...what did you do?" She demanded, looking at the tree. "I will not be locked back inside that tree! I will not!" She yelled, just as insane as the 'alive' Yuyuko. "Resurrection Butterfly: 50% Reflowering!-" she yelled, her already strong danmaku being aided by the force of a ring of lasers and larger and more dense waves.

Reimu and Sakuya quickly jumped back as the danmaku unleashed itself on the previous locations of the maid and maiden. The ground tore open. "Reimu..finish the seal now! We won't be bale to last any longer!" Sakuya said, sliding out of the way as a small blast of bubbles plowed into the ground.

Reimu nodded and quickly whipped two more talismans at the tree, both colliding with the circles for the ritual. The tree grew weaker and started to return to it's dead sheen. The branches broke off and the petals wilted as they floated to the ground. "One more and it's over ghost!"

Yuyuko clutched her stomach again, doubling over in pain as her spellcard weakly floated in front of her. "No..no..I will not...I will not go back..." She said, her voice weak. Blood dripped from her mouth and stained the ground below her. She swallowed and quivered. "R-Res...Resurrection...B-Butterfly: 80% Re...Re...Reflo...Reflowering...-" She muttered. She was growing weak, she could barely call out her spell. She limply floated in the air again. Her danmaku, though, shown otherwise. In a last stand attempt at killing them, Yuyuko's ghost unleashed a torrent of danmaku. "I...I will kill you..."She tried to yell, it only coming out as a horse and raspy call.

Sakuya and Reimu looked up at Yuyuko, Reimu ready to throw the final talisman. They didn't move though, only to dodge the danmaku.

"She's...alive..." Sakuya said. She watched as Yuyuko's ghost coughed violently, spitting up blood.

"Don't let that cloud your mind Sakuya...if we let her live who knows what she'll do." Reimu said, aiming the talisman.

Yuyuko eyed Reimu, her body still twitching. "No...no...no..." She said, it looked like she was crying. "I'll..never go back...!" she said, louder than before. In a quick flash, a maelstrom of danmaku was aimed at Reimu, who was in mid throw.

Sakuya quickly dove in front of the surge to protect Reimu. The maid fell to the ground as the bullets battered her chest and stomach. Reimu bit her lip and hurled the talisman. "Say good bye ghost..." she muttered as the ritual was completed. The four talismans shown in a bright light. They shredded and wrapped around the tree. "Hakurei Sacred Sealing Border: Divine Sealing Circle." She said, the tree finally dying once more. The branches fell to the ground and each petal lost it's color as they seemed to shatter into dust.

Yuyuko's ghost held her head as she yelled in extreme pain. "No..no...please! Don't...don't send me back!" She pleaded.

"Too bad..." Reimu said as she looked at Marisa and Sakuya. She quickly hurried to Marisa and picked her up. "Mari?" She asked, seeing the blond shake her head and groan.

"Ugh..what I miss...~ze?" she asked.

Yuyuko's ghost let out an extremely loud and painful yell as she fell to the ground. "Please...don't send me back!" she yelled as she started to fade. The ghost looked over to Yuyuko's limp body. "Your...your work..." She said, crying.

"...you did it huh?" Marisa asked, weakly as she and Reimu made their way over to Sakuya and helped her up. Reimu nodded and sighed.

Sakuya groaned lightly and looked at Reimu. "..did you do it?" She asked, being answered by the frantic crying of the ghost. It slowly faded, along with her body. It sank into the ground, one last yell being heard as the ritual took place, binding the soul to the tree once more.

"That seal..shall never be broken again." Reimu said. She panted heavily and looked at Yuyuko's now slowly moving body. The miko, witch, and maid slowly walked over to her, standing over her.

"She's alive...to say the least." Marisa said.

Sakuya nodded. "Poor..poor girl..."

Reimu sighed and turned around. "Let's just get going..." She said, starting to leave.

"What...did you do to her..?" A voice said.

"It's her again..isn't it?" Marisa asked as she turned around.

Youmu, still battered and bruised, stood in the gateway. She was panting and holding her swords. "What did you do to Lady Saigyouji?" She demanded, seeing Reimu walk up to her. "Answer me!" She yelled.

Reimu ignored her threat and simply walked past her. "Keep an eye on her..." Reimu said, walking off one of the steps and starting to fly, Marisa right behind her.

Sakuya looked at Youmu, and bowed lightly. She had her pocket watch now. "I am sorry...for what my allies and I had to do. I wish the best for you and your Lady. I understand what you go through." She said before flying after the other two.

Youmu watched as they flew off. She quickly turned to Yuyuko, now sitting up. The silver haired swordswoman hurried over. "Lady Saigyouji!" She yelled, seeing Yuyuko look over.

"Oh..Youmu...what happened?" She asked. She didn't really remember much.

"I don't really know...but..what I do know is that the tree...it was unsealed, but then sealed again..I am sorry, Lady Saigyouji." Youmu said.

"...I see. I guess it cannot be unsealed then. Thank you..Youmu. And please...call me Yuyuko." She said, smiling faintly as if nothing happened.


	12. Second Ghosts Gathering

Yuyuko sighed, sitting against the Cherry Tree once more. She gave up trying to revive it, along with the whole idea of tampering with the Hakurei Seal that now encased it and the soul of Yuyuko. She slid her fan out of her kimono sleeve as she always did, and fanned herself. Now that spring was finally back, it was getting warming, but due to the time that it was gone. Summer was quickly approaching. She sighed and looked around. Youmu was out in the Human Village, doing some errands. "Wonder when she'll get back..maybe she is already back..." Yuyuko said to herself as she got up and started for the large and elegant house that still remained from Yuyuko's past. She remembered every twist and turn, smiling as she walked through the house. "If only I had all of my old memories back..." She sighed, thinking about it. "...or maybe it is a good thing I forgot some..." She rambled to herself. Something caught her attention as she started out of the house. She stopped and stood still, looking around. Her eyes caught a small basket. "Huh..did Youmu leave them?" She asked herself, walking to the covered basket and picked it up, uncovering it. She smiled happily and walked outside with the basket. "I love these." She sang happily, sitting down and pulling out a dumpling. She took a large bite of it, chewing noisily.

"It's not polite to chew like that Yuyuko." A voice said, giggling lightly. Yuyuko looked around, half of the dumpling in her mouth.

"Hm..?" She took another loud bite, still looking.

"Don't you recognize my voice?" the person said, falling gently to the ground from the air.

The dumpling fell from Yuyuko's mouth. "Oh my..it's..." She stammered, smiling happily. "Y-Yukari!" She yelled happily, leaping from the stairs and tackling Yukari to the ground in sheer joy.

Yukari laughed a bit, quickly gapping the fallen dumplings back into the basket. "How have you been? I heard the Miko got to you...are you alright?"

Yuyuko nodded and sat up and off of her friend. "She...did attack me and Youmu..even my band." She giggled lightly. "But it was for the good, I would have went insane with power."

"You almost did, Yuyu. I felt the barrier I placed shatter and I knew something was wrong." Yukari said, sitting on a border and floating just above the ground.

"You placed the barrier around the tree? Why did you use my body to seal it?" Yuyuko asked.

"Simple. The tree's power was feeding off your body, per say, so by sealing it with the tree, there was no way for it to harm people...plus I knew that if you seen your own body being used, you would suddenly try and stop everything, but Reimu did a good job. Her borders are hard for anyone to break." Yukari explained.

Yuyuko smiled a bit. "Still thinking about me, huh Yukari?" the ghost asked.

"Of course...I was wondering what happened to you." the border youkai said, looking around. "Youmu's doing a great job...her swordsmanship is as wonderful as these flowers."

"I'll tell her as soon as I can, she'll be pleased to hear it. Ever since Youki left, she's been on her own." Yuyuko said. "How are things with you?" She asked.

Yukari smiled and stepped onto the ground. "I'll show you." She said, snapping her fingers, a large border opened behind her, two figures stepping out. "This is my old friend, Yuyuko."

"Ah, Miss Yuyuko. It's been a while, hasn't it?" One said, flicking her tails.

"Ran? My you've grown. I seen you have your tails." Yuyuko said.

Ran flicked each one. "Yes, I do. I just don't know when they will start to vanish." She chuckled nervously, looking around soon after. "Where did you go?" She asked, feeling her tails rustle. The kitsune sighed. "Chen..please get out from there."

Chen poked her head out from her master's bushy tails. "Hi Yuyuko." She said.

Yukari giggled. "Chen is Ran's shikigami, like how Ran is mine." she explained, seeing Yuyuko nod.

"It's alright Chen, I won't hurt you. I'm a good friend of your master and her master." Yuyuko smiled warmly.

Chen walked out from behind Ran and smiled shyly. "You are?"

Yuyuko nodded. "I knew Ran when she had two tails." the ghost said.

"Nearly one thousand years..." Yukari said to herself, smiling.

"Wow! Really!" Chen asked, looking at Ran and counting her tails. Ran looked at Chen and chuckled lightly.

"Think you made her dear, Miss Yuyuko." Ran smiled, hearing Yuyuko giggle.


	13. New Ghost's Beginning

Loud chewing and giggling, the former being a sound not used to the Hakurei shrine.

"Does..does she always eat like this?" Reimu asked, staring at Yuyuko, who was wolfing down dumpling after dumpling in no time. Youmu sighed and hung her head, ashamed.

"I try to tell her not to eat like this...but she just doesn't listen." the phantom girl replied.

"Oh hush Youmu." Yuyuko giggled after swallowing some of her dumpling. "You know I get very hungry at times, plus it's the first time I've been outside the Netherworld. I want to live it up for a bit!" She said, smiling.

"Err...alright then." Reimu said, sipping some tea. It was a rather warm night, after what just happened, the group wasn't surprised.

"Yuyuko, you are a lady, please act like one." the scarlet devil sighed, her maid standing next to her. Remilia was annoyed by Yuyuko's carefree way, seeing as how she had Youmu as her servant and was in charge of the realm of the dead. "You rule over the Netherworld just as I rule the Mansion."

"I know, I know, but I'm not as strict or stern as you Remilia." Yuyuko stated after she swallowed the rest of her dumpling. "Youmu is allowed to do whatever she wants, but she insists on staying. Is that right?" She asked, turning to her gardener.

"Well..yes. My grandfather was employed by the Saigyouji's, so that means until the Konpaku's assistance is no longer needed, my family line shall work for them." Youmu informed the vampire, seeing her sigh. Youmu flashed a look at Sakuya, who chuckled nervously.

A loud yawn. "Alright, this is boring~ze!" Marisa called out. "We have the Summer Festival! We should be down in the village with the others~ze!" She said, still full of energy from what she, and the others did before.

"Calm down already Marisa, it's not going anywhere. Thanks to those people the festival is postponed...sorta." Alice started.

"It is only..hey look it's around four in the morning." Yukari replied, looking up at the real moon. It was the end of the Eternal Night Incident and the Summer Festival was finally underway. The border youkai was doing what she did best, lazily floating on a large border.

"Then the festival is over..right?" Marisa asked, glum.

"Meh..it might be, go check. I'll wait here." Yukari said, smirking as she seen Marisa grab Alice by her collar and run down to the town, cheering.

Remilia sighed and got up. "I think it's time we went, Sakuya. According to Yukari the sun should be rising soon, and I don't think you have my parasol with you." she said.

"As you wish. And yes, I'm sorry, I didn't bring your parasol." Sakuya said, walking behind Remilia as the vampire started for the Mansion. Youmu and Yuyuko on the other hand, stayed.

"...you two gonna get going? It's nearly morning." Reimu said, waiting.

Yuyuko shook her head. "I'm fine." She giggled. Reimu looked at her with a weird and confused look. "Go to the Festival. I'll be fine here." She said.

"..but it's four." Reimu said.

"Not everyday you can go to a festival huh?" Yuyuko said, looking at Reimu, then Youmu. "Go with her, okay?"

"Um..okay Lady Yuyuko." Youmu said, getting up. Reimu looked at Yuyuko, suspicious. "Sure...alright then..." Reimu said, slowly getting up and walking over to Youmu.

"I'll make sure everything is alright, okay?" Yuyuko smiled, seeing Reimu nod lightly, walking to the village with Youmu. Yuyuko looked over to Yukari. "Reimu must have been a problem, huh?"

Yukari shrugged. "Not really. It was kinda fun." Yukari said, getting off her border and walking to Yuyuko, sitting next to her. Yuyuko smiled.

"It is a nice night out though...now that the real moon is back." Yuyuko said, looking up at the returned moon. Yukari nodded and looked too.

"Hey Yuyu..." Yukari said.

"Hm? What is it Yukari?" Yuyuko asked, looking up to her friend.

"...nothing." She smiled. "Just...it is a nice night out..but I think we should get going when Reimu gets back."

"I guess we should." Yuyuko said, yawning lightly. "I am tired." She sleepily said, lying her head on Yukari's shoulder. Yukari smiled.

"I'll stay up..alright? I'm used to this." She said, seeing Yuyuko slowly nod to sleep.

About an hour went by and the sun was nearly up, Reimu and Youmu finally walking back to the Shrine. "Hey Yuyuko, Yukari, I'm back." Reimu said, seeing the two fast asleep. "..they fell asleep. What about my donations? They could have been stolen!" She panicked, running over to the box.

"..you never get any anyway..." Yukari said, sleep talking.

Reimu's eye twitched. "Youmu..please get them to leave." she said through her teeth.

Youmu chuckled very nervously. "Lady Yuyuko..Lady Yukari...time to go." She said, walking over and trying to wake them up. Yuyuko mumbled a bit, reaching out and grabbing Myon's tail.

"E-eh?" Youmu said, feeling something weird on her back. "Lady Yuyuko..what are you..ahh!" She yelled, seeing and feeling Yuyuko slowly chew on Myon, thinking she was a oversized dumpling. "Ahh! Get off get off get off!" Youmu flailed, trying to pull Myon free. The ghost and human struggled, the ghost winning finally. Myon frantically flew behind Youmu and hid behind her human counterpart.

Yuyuko yawned lightly. "Whatever I was eating..tasted good." She giggled lightly, as she slowly lifted her head off of Yukari. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Still at the Shrine?" She asked.

"Yes you are..please leave..." Reimu said, walking into the shrine.

"Oh, alright." Yuyuko yawned once more. "When we get back, I'm going to sleep again." She said, getting up and looking at Yukari. "Yukari...wake up." She said sweetly. The border youkai mumbled a bit, making a border in her sleep under her, Yuyuko and Youmu, dropping the three back in the Netherland.

"..that was simple." Youmu said, looking at Yukari. "Should I try to get her inside?" She asked, her own question answering itself as Yukari warped herself inside. "Where did she go?" She asked Yuyuko, who walked inside. The ghost looked around, ending in her room and giggling.

"Aww." She said, walking over. Yukari was still fast asleep, lying on Yuyuko's bed. "Good night." She said lightly, lying down next to the border youkai and falling back asleep.

"Lady...Yuyuko..?" Youmu said quietly around the house, hearing the light snores from her bedroom. The gardener poked her head in her mistress's room, smiling. "Good night you two..." She said at the sight.

Yuyuko was finally reliving her old life from where it would have left off. After the arguments, after the troubles, after the torment, her life was getting better. She had her friend by her side; her gardener, who to her was more than just that; and now she wasn't as afraid to be alone anymore, now that she knew people from the outside world. The life of the poor ghost wasn't as she thought it would be anymore, and she enjoyed her new life to it's fullest.


	14. Afterword

Hello, FinalFyler here once more. Thank you for reading Grimoire of the Ghost. Yes, I do know this was shorter than Medicine's tale, but I feel like I went a little overboard with Tales, so i tried to keep it a bit low in this one.

On any note, Yuyuko is another favorite of mine, and since I don't keep a list, she's up there, top 10 to say the least.

Youki was brought in because, well, we don't seem him much and I figured to give him some spotlight. As with Yuyuko's parents, Hikari and Tomari, their names have some purpose. Although I am not 100% sure on the correct usage, Hikari means light, Tomari means night. In my mind, it was a simple pun and a little bit of how i feel about ghosts and such: You need it to be dark and you need faint light to make it scary.

For chapter Four, the name was a simple and, I think either overlooked or ignored, misspelling for 'Ghostly Borders' and a way of showing Yukari would be introduced in that chapter. Ran and Chen didn't get much time, which I am a bit sad about, but I tried and I couldn't find ways to work them in without making them seem just like little joke characters.

As for the battle scenes, I wanted to try and get Youmu's swordsmanship in, then show Yuyuko's more dark side. As for the ghost, my aim was rather simple, kill Reimu, Marisa, and Sakuya and use her new freedom to cause a massive rampage of revenge. I also know I forgot to put in the Extra mode, but i think i was able to cover it up well enough.

Also, special thanks to bluewolf963 for reading through and reviving each chapter.

-EDIT-

I feel like an idiot...after browsing Youtube, I remembered that some of the ideas for this story came from the Touhou flash True Blossom


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